The Ultimate Guide: How Often Should You Groom Your Dog?
Grooming is an important responsibility for all pet owners. Dogs may not be people, but they still need their hair, nails, ears, and teeth taken care of on a regular basis. Learn more about making a grooming schedule for your pup.
Regular grooming isn't just about making your dog look picture-perfect for your social media feed—it is a vital component of their preventative healthcare. Leaving a coat to mat, letting nails overgrow, or ignoring dental hygiene can lead to severe discomfort and expensive veterinary bills down the road. If you've been wondering how to build the perfect routine for your four-legged family member, we've broken down exactly what it takes to keep your pup feeling as good as they look.
Fur Care: Tailoring the Routine to the Coat
Proper care for a dog’s fur can vary widely depending on the breed. Some dogs, like vizslas, have short fur that doesn’t require trimming. Others breeds, like the Maltese, have long, fluffy hair that requires frequent cuts and brushing.
If your dog needs regular haircuts, every six to eight weeks is a good rule of thumb, according to Victor Capili, C.D.G groomer and owner of Shorty Styles Premier Dog Grooming. Baths and tidy-ups can be done every four to six weeks. What should you expect during a professional grooming session?
“A typical grooming session starts off with a bath,” says Capili. “We use a hydro-surge bathing system, which mixes water, shampoo, and oxygen to pretty much clean every string of hair.”
Shorty Styles offers a number of different shampoos to meet the needs of your dog. After the bath, dogs get a towel dry and blow dry. Next, they get a nail trim, ear clean, brush out, and haircut.
Before you bring your dog in for an appointment, it is a good idea to know how they will react. Are they used to being touched by strangers? “Always have your dog get used to having their face and feet touched. It helps with the nail trimming and the haircut,” says Capili. This ensures your dog is more comfortable and makes it easier for groomers to take care of your dog.
In between professional grooming sessions, you can help keep your dog’s fur smooth and shiny at home. “Dogs should be brushed out one to three times a week. It helps with shedding, or it will prevent your dog from matting,” says Capili. He recommends using a rubber curry for dogs with short hair and a slicker brush for dogs with longer coats.
Dogs love to get messy, which means you can’t always save bath time for the next professional grooming appointment. If you are bathing your dog at home more than every four to six weeks, make sure to use a shampoo and conditioner to ensure you don’t dry out the natural oils on their skin, according to Capili.
Nail and Ear Care: Protecting the Paws and Hearing
Just like your dog’s coat, his nails and ears need some at-home love too. Trimming your dog’s nails helps minimize the risk of breakage and ingrowth. When a dog's nails are left to grow too long, they push the toe bones into an unnatural position, which can cause severe skeletal misalignment and arthritis over time.
Every dog is different, but you can typically trim your dog’s nails every month or every other month, according to K9 of Mine. Ear care is a little trickier. Some dogs are prone to ear infections, while others may never need an ear cleaning, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. Floppy-eared breeds like Hounds and Spaniels trap moisture easily, making them prime targets for yeast overgrowth. Talk to your vet about your dog’s needs to determine the best schedule for keeping those ears clean.
Dental Hygiene: Stopping Periodontal Disease Early
Dogs may not eat the sugary foods we humans love, but they still need regular brushing to keep their teeth healthy. Neglecting their teeth does more than cause bad breath; bacteria from severe dental disease can enter their bloodstream and damage their heart, kidneys, and liver over time.
Approximately 80 percent of pets will develop periodontal disease by the time they reach three years old, according to PetMD. Your dog may not like having a toothbrush in her mouth, but you can help her get used to it. At minimum, dogs should have their teeth brushed once a week, according to PetMD. You can always schedule a teeth cleaning with your local groomer and regular cleanings with your vet, but it is important to keep up with at-home care too.
Sparky Steps Highly Recommends: Shorty Styles!
If you are ready to schedule a top-tier grooming appointment for your pup, look no further than Shorty Styles Premier Dog Grooming! Michael from Sparky Steps wants to share a personal insider tip: the owner and master groomer, Victor Capili, is actually Michael’s cousin! Because they are family, Michael knows firsthand the incredible level of patience, compassion, and absolute professionalism Victor pours into every single pet that walks through his doors. Michael highly recommends Victor's services for anyone looking to give their dog an elite, stress-free spa day. Head over to shortystyles.com to secure a spot for your furry best friend!
Need a hand keeping your dog looking clean, exercised, and happy in between their professional grooming appointments? The team at Sparky Steps is here to help! We offer premium, individualized dog walking services in Chicago to ensure your pup burns off energy and stays on a healthy daily routine. Contact us today to get started!
Written by Carrie Pallardy
Edited by the Sparky Steps Team (Last Updated: May 25, 2026)
